Full swing hydraulic level scoop



Oct. 3, 1961 s. J. NEEDY FULL swmc HYDRAULIC LEVEL scooP Filed Aug. 15, 1958 F I. G. l.

FIG. 2..

INVENTOR *ififii J NEEDY United States This invention relates to an attachment for tractors and pertains more particularly to a scoop mechanism adapted for attachment to endless tread vehicles or the like.

Of primary concern in connection with this invention is the provision of a scoop attachment for tractor having an articulated connection thereto so that the scoop may be swung from side to side for loading and unloading operations, the scoop attachment also being articulated for swinging in a vertical plane, is hydraulically controlled and operated.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of this invention, from the appended claims and from the accompanying drawings.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating details of the attachment and its manner of mounting on an associated vehicle; and

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view showing further details of the attachment.

As shown most clearly in FIGURE 1, the attachment includes a mounting block indicated generally by reference numeral pivotally attached as by pin 11 between a pair of bracket cars 12 rigid, with mounting bar 13 fixed to the associated tractor or the like indicated by reference character 14 in FIGURE 2. A hydraulic piston and cylinder 15 is pivotally mounted, as at 16, to the tractor and its piston rod 19 is pivotally connected, as at 18, to the mounting block, the purpose of which Will be presently apparent.

The mounting block includes vertically spaced bearing bosses 19 and 20 carrying a spindle or pivot pin 21 by means of which the yoke assembly 22 is pivotally attached to the mounting block about a vertical axis. The yoke assembly includes a stem 23 with forwardly and outwardly branching arms 24 and 25 rigid therewith, the arms terminating in guide sleeves 26 and 27.

The rear end of stem 23 is vertically elongated to fit between the bearing bosses 19 and 20 with pin 21 projecting therethrough. This portion of the stem is provided with a gear sector 28 whereby the swinging movement of the yoke may be eifected. For this purpose, a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 29, rigid with the mounting block, is provided.

The cylinder portion 30 is fixed to the mounting block above spindle 21 with the piston rod having its opposite ends 31 and 32 projecting from the opposite ends thereof. A rack assembly, 33, is carried by the piston rod and engages gear sector 28. The rack includes upstanding arms 34- and 35 rigidly fixed to the piston rod ends and an interconnecting toothed bight 36 meshing with the sector. The assembly 29 is double acting for moving the rack 33 transversely back and forth to elfect side to side swinging of the yoke.

A pair of rods 37 and 38 are slidably received in guide sleeves 26 and 27 and are pivotally anchored to a transverse pivot shaft 39 at their forward ends, such shaft being carried between bracket ears 40 and 41 fixed to the rear side of scoop bracket 42.

A double acting hydraulic piston and cylinder assema bly 43 effects an extension of yoke stem 23 between arms 24 and 25 and the piston rod 44 thereof also pivotally engages shaft 39. A further double acting piston and cylinder 45 is pivotally connected at one end to piston rod 44 and at its opposite end to the bucket 42 and, more specifically, to an ear 46 rigid therewith.

The hydraulic assembly 15 will effect tilting of the bucket so as to vertically position the same, whereas the assembly 45 is utilized primarily for the purpose of dumping the contents from the bucket. Hydraulic assembly 43 will effect extension and retraction of the bucket to assist in filling the bucket and, of course, hydraulic assembly 29 will eifect side to side movement of the bucket so as to properly position the same, as desired.

It is understood that this invention is not confined to the particular embodiment shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that this invention may be carried out in other ways within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, as it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A scoop attachment for tractors and the like, comprising a mounting block having pivotal means at its lower end for attachment to the front end of an associated vehicle, said means allowing pivotal movement of the upper port-ion of said block in a vertical plane, a yoke assembly pivotally attached about a vertical axis to said mounting block and projecting forwardly therefrom, a scoop bucket carried by the forward end of said yoke assembly for movement therewith, and hydraulic means carried by said mounting block and engaged with said yoke assembly for swinging the same from side to side with respect to the mounting block; said means including a double acting piston within a stationary cylinder mounted rigid with the upper portion of said mount ing block having a piston rod connected with said piston and projecting from the opposite ends thereof, a generally U-shaped rack having upstanding legs connected at their upper ends to the extremities of said piston rod and hav ing a toothed bight portion interconnecting said lges, said yoke assembly including a gear sector meshing with the toothed bight portion of said rack, said yoke assembly including a stem projecting forwardly from said mounting block and a pair of arms branching forwardly therefrom, a hydraulic cylinder forming an extension of said stern between said arms and having a forwardly extending piston rod projecting therefrom, said arms terminating in spaced, parallel guide sleeves, rods slidably disposed in said guide sleeves and pivotally connected at their forward ends to said scoop bucket, said piston rod being pivotally connected at its forward end to said scoop bucket for extending and retracting said bucket with respect to said yoke assembly, and means for pivotally moving said scoop bucket about its axis of connection to said rods.

2. A scoop attachment for tractors and the like, comprising a mounting block having means for attachment to an associated vehicle, a yoke assembly pivotally attached about a vertical axis to said mounting block and projecting forwardly therefrom, a scoop bucket carried by the forward end of said yoke assembly for movement therewith, and hydraulic means carried by said mounting block and engaged with said yoke assembly for swinging the same from side to side with respect to the mounting block; said means including a double acting piston and cylinder rigid with said mounting block having a piston rod projecting from the opposite ends thereof, a generally U-shaped rack having upstanding legs connected at their upper ends to the extremities of said piston rod and having a toothed bight portion interconnecting said legs, said yoke assembly including a gear sector meshing with the toothed bight portion of said rack; said yoke assembly including a stem projecting forwardly from said mounting block and a pair of arms branching forwardly therefrom, a hydraulic cylinder forming an extension of said stem between said arms and having a forwardly extending piston rod projecting therefrom, said arms terminating in spaced, parallel guide sleeves, rods slidably disposed in said guide sleeves and pivotally connected at their forward ends to said scoop bucket, said piston rod being pivotally connected at its forward end to said scoop bucket for extending and retracting said bucket with respect to said yoke assembly, and means for pivotally moving said scoop bucket about its axis of connection to said rods.

' 3. In combination with a tractor or the like, a mounting block pivotally attached about a horizontal, transverse axis to the front end of said tractor, hydraulic means attached to the front end of said tractor for pivotally moving said mounting block about its axis of connection to the tractor; a yoke assembly pivotally attached about a vertical axis to said mounting block and projecting forwardly therefrom, a scoop bucket carried by the forward end of said yoke assembly for movement therewith, and hydraulic means carried by said mounting block and engaged with said yoke assembly for swinging the same from side to side with respect to the mounting block; said means including a double acting piston and cylinder, said cylinder rigidly connected with said mounting block, said piston having a piston rod projecting from both of the opposite ends of said cylinder, a rack having upwardly extending legs connected at their upper ends to the extremities of said piston rod and having a toothed bight portion interconnecting said legs, said yoke assembly including a gear sector meshing with the toothed portion of said rack, said yoke assembly including a stem projecting forwardly from said mounting block and a pair of arms branching forwardly therefrom, a hydraulic cylinder forming an extension of said stem between said arms and having a forwardly extending piston rod projecting therefrom, said arms terminating in spaced, parallel guide sleeves, slidable rods slidably disposed in said guide sleeves and pivotally connected at their forward ends to a transverse rod pivotally attached to the lower rear end portion of said scoop bucket, said piston rod being pivotally connected at its forward end to the intermediate portion of said transverse rod adjacent said scoop bucket for extending and retracting said bucket with respect to said yoke assembly, and hydraulic means for pivotally moving said scoop bucket about its axis of connection to said transverse rod and said slidable rods.

4. A hydraulically controlled scoop attachment for tractors and the like, comprising a U-shaped mounting block with upper and lower portions for pivotal mounting at its lower portion to mounting bars extending from an associated vehicle and having aligned, vertically spaced, outstanding bearing members integrally formed with said upper and lower portions thereof, a yoke assembly including forwardly projecting arms terminating in spaced, parallel guide sleeves, a spindle journalled in said hearing members and projecting through a portion of said yoke pivotally connecting said yoke to the mounting block for horizontal swinging movement from side to side with respect to the mounting block, hydraulic means carried by said mounting block and connected to said yoke for effecting the swinging movement thereof, said means including a stationary cylinder rigidly mounted to the upper portion of said mounting block, a double acting piston in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said double acting piston and extending out from the opposite ends of said cylinder, a generally U-shaped rack connected to the opposite ends of said piston and having a toothed bight portion disposed below and parallel to said piston rod and movable therewith, said portion of said yoke assembly pivotally mounted between said bearing members including a gear sector meshing with the toothed bight portion of said rack, a pair of rods slidably mounted in said sleeves of said yoke, a scoop bucket connected to the forward free ends of the sliding rods, and a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly mounted on said yoke and connected by means to the lower portion of said bucket for efiecting extension and retraction of said bucket with respect to said yoke, and hydraulic means for pivotally moving said scoop bucket about its lower, rear, transverse axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,392 McDade July 17, 1951 1,603,573 Baker Oct. 19, 1926 2,348,796 Ferwerda et al. May 16, 1944" 2,421,379 Harding June 3, 1947 2,538,102 Keeler Jan. 16, 1951 2,622,749 Stuhr Dec. 23, 1952 

